Band's road paved with folk-rock intentions

If things don't quite work out as planned for the Wheeler Brothers' band, there's always Wheeler Coating Asphalt Inc.

Tony Sauro

If things don't quite work out as planned for the Wheeler Brothers' band, there's always Wheeler Coating Asphalt Inc.

The three Wheeler siblings developed part of their work ethic and business sense in the family's Austin, Texas-based road-construction business.

"It was a little warm outside," said Nolan Wheeler, singer, songwriter, guitar player and pianist in the Austin folk-rock band that performs tonight at Stockton's Valley Brewing Co. "It was fun. We had lots of camaraderie. We and all our buddies would end up praying for rain."

That's because they were spraying black sealant on freshly paved highways and roads in Texas' summer broiler.

Even as college students, they'd spend steamy summers spraying sealant and learning other aspects of the business from parents Jack and Lisa, now retired.

It was about "money. Being broke," Nolan said with a laugh as the group prepared for a van ride from Los Angles to San Francisco on its first California tour.

"It's going great," said Wheeler, whose band has released a debut album (2011's "Portraits") and begins recording a follow-up in February. "Surprisingly, really well. It's good seeing people dancing and actually singing along. It always feels great when you see that. We love it."

The guys always have "loved" a diverse range of music - from punk (Matthews) to jazz (Molyneaux); "anything from John Mellencamp to Harry Connick Jr." (Tyler); "heavy metal to indie rock" (Patrick); and Motown, Wilco and Arcade Fire for Nolan.

A writer at the Austin American Statesman likened them to the "vast spaces between Band of Horses and the Avett Brothers."

"Oldies in general," Wheeler said. "When I was a kid, dad would get home, pull me into the car and head for 7-Eleven, listening to Oldies-103 radio. It was Pavlovian. I'd get a Slurpee (still does). I guess I tied that reward system together."

After Tyler (business) and Patrick (Spanish) enrolled at LSU, Nolan joined them to study history.

"We've always been into music," he said. "We just fell in love with the culture of the whole state (Louisiana). The food. The music. It's amazing. Every other week, we'd go to (New Orleans') House of Blues and Tipitina's. At that time, we were into funk and soul and a little touch of blues."

The Wheelers began formulating their hybrid after they returned to Austin and started writing songs. Nolan, the youngest, left LSU early to stay with the band.

"When they left (LSU), we realized we had some kind of gift," he said.

"We decided to give it a shot and see if it would work. Get a system down. Writing your own material is a whole new can of worms. That's when it gets exciting.

"When you perform live and see it received well, that's a whole other thing. It's really everyone's true love for music."

Through a family friend, they met Aaron Benson, son of Ray Benson - longtime leader of Asleep at the Wheel, progenitors of the influential Texas/Western swing sound.

He gave his dad a tape of the brothers' music. Benson was intrigued.

The Wheeler Brothers wound up collaborating with Benson's group on "Sleep When You're Dead," an Asleep at the Wheel tune, and recorded an EP and CD on Benson's Bismeaux Records.

"We were all very nervous," Wheeler said of "Portraits," released June 21. "We're from all different backgrounds. There were very interesting dynamics. Lots of influences and inspirations. I don't know if there's an element of country per se. It does have some."

The guys had fun dreaming up "Spent Time," their current video.

"It's probably our best," Wheeler said. "It was super fun to work with a 'Bonnie and Clyde' bank robber-type thing. The guy's kinda living life frivolously and not thinking about the future. Sometimes that leads to a brush with life."

"We grab five or 10 fans a show," Wheeler said. "We're trying to tour as much as possible and get our name out there and put it in front of people's ears."

They do have a secure fall-back position.

"We started off just helping out during summers," he said of 24-year-old Wheeler Coating Inc. becoming a post-music proposition. "Our family always had that in mind. We'd work our way up and have a real understanding. Who knows? In a year or two, it might possibly give us an alternative."

Sweating out Texas summers spraying asphalt has provided the impetus for some road songs.

"We do have a couple," Wheeler said. "Really, though, it's more that we're so busy and so tired. Not having enough energy brings it (songwriting) out. ... When we're totally exhausted."

Contact Tony Sauro at (209) 546-8267 or tsauro@recordnet.com.

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